


Siren’s slumber

by Arkham_Cat



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: LGBTQ Characters, M/M, Mild Angst, Non cannon - Freeform, Non-Human Jaskier | Dandelion, OOC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:27:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25371607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arkham_Cat/pseuds/Arkham_Cat
Summary: Jaskier was never good at keeping a secret, unless it was one he wanted kept hidden.——Geralt finds out that Jaskier is not entirely human.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 3
Kudos: 182





	1. Chapter 1

Trudging through the forest despite the nagging bugs and overgrown foliage, The Witcher and his Bard searched for a campsite. They’d been on the move for weeks, having alienated a particularly powerful mage a few towns ago. 

If only Jaskier could keep his mouth shut in tense situations.  
Geralt hadn’t faulted him this time however. After all hearing the lark call the mage a ‘gussied up fake of a magician’ had been quite amusing.   
What followed was worth it.

They’d traveled far enough that The Witcher felt comfortable stopping for a few days of rest.   
He’d assumed Jaskier would be exhausted after the constant traveling, he was human after all. However the Bard continued on as if they hadn’t been traveling non stop for days.  
Perhaps after years of spending his travels with Geralt, the humans' stamina had increased.

Shrugging off the thought Geralt continued walking, carefully leading Roach and Jaskier through the forest until the Witcher’s catlike eyes spotted a decently flat clearing in the distance.

“We’ll camp here, I’m going to find wood. Stay put.”   
Before Geralt could leave he could smell the distress eminent from the bad.  
Grunting in annoyance he turned to stare at the smaller man. “What’s wrong?”   
The human shifted uncomfortable under the Witcher’s gaze.

“Um.. it’s just I can smell salt water not far and um…” Blue eyes nervously looked around the forest.

He couldn’t stop the snort from escaping as the realization dawned as to why Jaskier would be nervous near saltwater. “Sirens don’t tend to be this far inland. Plus, they hardly ever come onto solid ground. Just don’t go wading into the water for long and you’ll be fine.” 

The bard did not seem eased by the Witcher’s words at all, but he said nothing else so Geralt left to get supplies.  
——  
When Geralt had returned with wood under his arm and some dead animal sling over his shoulder, it appeared as though Jaskier had diligently gotten to work on the campsite when he’d left.  
Everything except the Fire was set and said Bard was sat scribbling in his notebook.

Wordless the Witcher set to make the fire and cook the animal.   
They’d need to fill their water pitchers soon, it’d been awhile since they had found a clean water stream.   
If they filled a pale with salt water he could boil it to make it safe to drink.

“Jaskier.”  
The Bard quickly looked up at hearing his name. “Yes?”   
So attentive, Geralt thought with a hidden smirk.

“Go grab us some Saltwater, I’ll boil it so we can drink it later. We have enough left to be able to eat.” 

Jaskier had tensed at the Witcher’s request and the white haired man had not missed it. Nor had he missed the widened blue eyes.  
“Um…. are, are you sure I couldn’t attend to the fire and you go get the water?” The words tumbled from the humans lips in a hurried rush. 

Yellow eyes narrowed on the Bard in concentration. “What has you so afraid of the water, Jaskier?”   
Despite being significantly weaker than the Witcher, Jaskier never acted like this even in the face of danger.   
Not even when a knife was held to his throat, had he seen the panicked look in the bards eyes he saw now.  
The brunette gulped, silence answering the Witcher’s question.

“....fine, you tend the fire and start the meat cooking. I’ll be back.”   
As the Witcher stood to leave his ears picked up in the quiet sigh of relief.  
Shaking his head, Geralt trudged through the trees to the body of water and scooped out two pales worth.   
Looking around there was nothing, no one in sight.

No mermaids, sirens, or pirates, nothing to scare the bard so badly. 

Geralt frowned, the bard truly had confused him this time and seemed bent on not giving reasons to the behavior.  
——  
Hours later the two were sat pressed together by the fire. The meat had been cooked and eaten quickly,   
Jaskier had complained about the cold, so Geralt moved closer to the smaller man.

The Witcher listened on as his bard told stories from his childhood home.  
They were all very involved. Apparently, his partner had been quite the trouble maker.

When the bard had lapsed into a short pause, Geralt stood to grab them both some water. 

Unfortunately the Witcher’s boot caught on the cloth they’d been sat on, tugging the fabric up and pulling the pale of water that’d just been boiling not too long ago over.  
It Spilled across Jaskier who let out a high pitched yelp scrambling to get out of the way.

“Fuck, Jaskier are you okay?”   
Geralt kneeled back down, his hands rising to reach for the smaller man.  
Jaskier held a hand over his face, a worried look across his features, but no evidence of pain.

“I… I’m okay, just a little burnt from the hot water. I’ll be okay.”   
The bards voice warbled with uncertainty   
A low growl forced its way from the Witcher’s throat. “Let me see.”  
“No, no, I’m alright you don-“ the ramblings of the bard were cut short by the wolf’s growing irritation.   
“Jaskier, Let me see damnit!” 

The brunette whimpered and Geralt could smell fear coming from the bard.  
He’d never smelt fear from the human that he’d caused.   
Sighing the larger man let his hand fall to the bard's leg.   
“Just let me make sure you aren’t too badly burnt, I have a salve in my bag to treat burns.” 

Tears started to leak from the bards eyes and his breathing picked up.  
“I… Geralt….”

The Witcher looked on, waiting for the human to continue or let him assess the burn.

After a few beats of time, the bard let his hand drop. He was visibly shaking and the smell of fear increased.   
Down the right side of the… humans face was not a burn, nor was it even red.  
Glittering blue and gold scales littered down the man's face and neck.   
The normally blue eye was now a deep red.

A siren. 

Geralt drew back and in doing so Jaskier found an interest in the forest ground. Not wanting to meet Geralt’s piercing gaze.

“That’s why you didn’t want to be near the water?”   
The bard nodded in answer.

“It wasn’t boiled enough to get all the salt out?”   
The bard shook his head, no, 

“Fuck..”   
Jaskier flicked slightly, and Geralt sighed deeply running a hand over his face.

“Why haven’t you told me? Why have you been hiding this from me for fucking years?” The wolf couldn’t help the anger rising in his voice.   
It was more out of hurt than anything. Jaskier had hidden something this important for years. Had he not trusted Geralt enough?   
The Witcher’s heart stung at that thought.

Witcher’s were not supposed to feel, they were not supposed to love or grow attachments but, the bard before him had come and wrecked everything Geralt had known to be the Witcher way. 

“I… I… I’m sorry… I was afraid to tell you at first, uh… monster killer and all? And then we got close and then even closer.” The brunette took in a shaky breath.  
“I trusted you and I believed you wouldn’t hurt me if you knew but… it had gone on so long I was so scared to tell you. I was… so scared you’d leave me.”   
The last few words were whispered and felt as though they meant more than simply, Geralt leaving. 

The Witcher lent forward and cupped the bard's cheeks, gently running his fingers over the newly shown Scales.   
Surprisingly they were soft.   
“I would never leave you, Jaskier. Not after so long and not after our incident on the mountain.” 

Mismatched eyes stared at him in wonder and fainted hope, while small droplets of tears gathered at the corners.  
Geralt wiped them away, growling low at whoever had caused the bard to be this afraid of being alone.   
——  
Jaskier shifted himself into the larger man's lap, still sniffling and crying quietly.  
He felt so many emotions, above all else relief that his partner was still here, holding him close. 

After they’d sat there for an hour wrapped together, Geralt pulled them both into a bed roll, tucking Jaskier flush into his side.   
A rumble of contentment sounded from the Witcher, almost like a cat purring.

After a while Jaskier broke the silence quietly, “When I was a young Siren, I fit in, and all the other children would play with me. However when we hit adolescents, it was obvious I was different from them. They all took on beautiful fins and tails, with so many glorious colors, their teeth grew sharp and their faces covered with scales. Yet I remained the same. Almost like a human with a tail and fins. They grew, yes. However nothing like my peers. No elegant colors or shapes, my scales are only scattered over my body not completely. I had no wings, nothing like them. It was obvious to everyone I was half human.”

Jaskier shuddered, pressing closer to the Witcher.  
Geralt remained quiet, as he stroked the bard's hair to comfort him.

“They attacked me one night, left me for dead on the shore, my tail was ripped to shreds, my scales clawed off. By every right I should have been dead, but… a kind man with long black hair, baring a wolf emblem helped me, nursed me back to health.”

Geralt's eyes widened, another Witcher helped Jaskier?  
Another wolf? 

“Do you remember anything else about him?” He asked, curiosity laced thickly in his voice. 

“I… no. Not really. He’s armor was like yours, and he was standoffish like you, but I only knew him for a few days before he disappeared. That’s why… when I met you I knew I could trust you.” 

Geralt scoffed, nuzzling the top of Jaskiers head.  
“Just because you met one nice Witcher does not mean they are all kind. I could have killed you the moment I found out.”   
Jaskier grinned into the Witcher’s chest.  
“But you didn’t.”

“Hmmf. Go to sleep.”

“Alright, alright.” Jaskier kissed the Witcher’s lips lightly, before tucking himself back under the wolf’s chin.

Normally Geralt would keep watch as the bard slept, only taking short breaks to doze. As the limited sleep was all his insomnia would allow him. 

However on this night, wrapped around the small bard, the Witcher slept, and a deep sleep at that.  
———  
Jaskier had been so content he’d accidentally activated his siren song in his sleep, lulling the Witcher to blissful slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Geralt gets to the bottom of his new found ability to sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter. Your support is very appreciated.
> 
> https://linktr.ee/kayceelain  
> Follow me on all the things! I don’t bite~

The bright morning light woke Geralt, yellow eyes blinking confused as he took everything around him.  
Jaskier was still fast asleep on his chest. 

Had he slept?   
He felt rested and content. Feelings he’d not felt after nightfall for years.

A mumbled “good morning” came from the bard as he sluggishly stood from Geralt to get ready for the rest of their traveling.

“Jaskier…”

“Yes, love?” The bard answered while combing his hair from the matted mess it had turned into over night. 

“....I slept last night.”   
“Well that’s good… wait. You what?”

Blue eyes stared at the Witcher in shock.  
Apparently during the night, Jaskiers' scales and eye had returned to their hidden forms. 

“I slept through the night.”   
“Well that’s wonderful Geralt!” The bard chirped, clapping his hands together in excitement.

The Witcher only growled. He’d no clue how he had been able to sleep so well. It was odd, but he let it drop.  
For now.  
——-  
Days passed on, the nights Jaskier was pressed against the wolf he’d sleep soundlessly, the nights Jaskier was a distance away his insomnia would kick in.

The sleeping had to be something the bard was doing to him.  
But what?  
——  
Geralt walked over to where his partner was sat, tuning his lute.

“What are you doing to me?” His gruff voice startling the brunette from concentration.

“What are you talking about Geralt?” Wide blue eyes stared up at the Witcher in confusion. 

“I’m talking about the sleeping, are you using your siren magic on me?”   
His voice came out more annoyed than he’d wanted it, inwardly wincing at the bards panicked look.

“No, I would never!” 

Geralt raised an eyebrow for the half siren to continue.  
Jaskier did so in mild panic.

Shaking his head the Witcher sat down beside the bard and tugged him close, dropping the conversation.  
——  
Once night fell Jaskier curled into Geralt's chest falling asleep almost immediately. Apparently the heat from the Witcher’s body helped him sleep since sirens couldn’t keep as warm as other creatures. 

Geralt's mind wandered in thought over his sleeping situation, it was honestly strange how uneven and unpredictable it could be.  
Lost in thought, the Witcher almost missed the sound of Quiet singing.  
Looking down Jaskier was deep in slumber, but his lips were moving to the song.

Feeling his eyes grow heavy with sleep, and his limbs relax all together, Geralt fell asleep, his arms wrapped tightly around the bard.  
A siren sleep song.  
Was Geralt's final thought before dreams took him.   
——-  
In the morning the Witcher confronted the bard about the spell.  
He’d been so confused and apologetic.  
Apparently he had no clue what his sleeping self had been doing.

“When Sirens relax they can emit a song, kinda like showing off their mood, I guess, since I’m so happy and warm in your arms at night my song reflects sleep and relaxation… I can sleep elsewhere at night if you want me too. I’m sorry for using-“

“No.” Abruptly the Witcher cut off his rambling bard. 

“...no?” Jaskier asked, confused.

“No, I don’t want you to stop. As long as we’re not somewhere with immediate danger, I like sleeping…I like sleeping with you,”   
Geralt huffed in annoyance. 

Jaskier smiled brightly, causing the Witcher himself to smile gently back. 

The loud bard had truly improved his life, including his sleeping.  
How could he ever turn him away, in any aspect of their life. 

Even if he did get on his nerves.


End file.
